• The City, Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol will coordinate the annual July 5 Beaches Cleanup and have issued a call for volunteers. From 7-9 a.m. Sunday volunteers will remove litter and debris along the shoreline left behind by Independence Day celebrants. Litter collection bags and gloves will be distributed at Atlantic and Beach boulevards at the ocean and at 16th Avenue South at the ocean in Jacksonville Beach. Participants must be at least 18 years old or accompanied by an adult. Wear sturdy footwear and sun protection and bring your own water. For more information call 630-3420 or 613-6081.
• Parking enforcement officers like the new solar-powered meters that are being tested at several locations Downtown. When the time expires, a light on the meter visible for a block begins flashing, making violations easier to spot than with the old-style red flags on the mechanical meters.
• Ragtime Tavern in Atlantic Beach celebrated its 26th anniversary last night. They had drink specials and music to mark the occasion.
• In January, Florida Trend magazine will name its first “Person of the Year” and is taking nominations at floridatrend.com/floridian. The editorial staff is looking for people who have made a major impact on the state over the past 12 months.
• Speaking of Florida Trend, the new issue includes the state’s top 12 classy bars. Only Bistro Aix made the list from Jacksonville. The criteria was based on freshness of ingredients used in drinks, food and atmosphere.
• The Public Library has released its 2007-08 annual report and usage is up. Overall, borrowers are up 9 percent, circulation was up 3 percent, attendance was up 6 percent and Web site usage was up 16 percent.
• Speaking of the library, the July Lunch & Learn series at the Main Library is July 15 from noon–1 p.m., with “The Current State of The St. Johns River” as the topic. The program is sponsored by UNF’s Coastal Biology Program, with Dr. Dale Casamatta leading the discussion. For more information on the program, call Amy Moore at 620-2830.